Information

Cinda Rankin Retires as Assistant AD and Women's Tennis Coach

Aug 24, 2007

LEXINGTON, Va. -- Washington and Lee Director of Athletics Jan
Hathorn has announced that Cinda Rankin, assistant athletic
director and women's tennis coach, has decided to retire after
nearly 40 years as an educator, administrator and coach.

"I look forward to beginning another phase of my life," said
Rankin. "Washington and Lee University has been a wonderful
experience and I have had the good fortune to work with the highest
quality faculty, staff, and student-athletes during my 22 years at
W&L. I appreciate that former Director of Athletics Mike Walsh
allowed me the freedom to build the tennis program into one of the
strongest in the nation. Our program has enjoyed the luxury of one
of Division III's finest indoor facilities through the support of
Richard Duchossois '44 and former President John Wilson and I feel
certain that Washington and Lee tennis will continue to prosper. I
wish the best of luck to all W&L teams in the future."

Rankin's legacy at Washington and Lee extends much further than
a win-loss record as the University's tennis coach. She was hired
in the spring of 1985 as W&L's first female athletic staff
member and was charged with coordinating the University's women's
athletic programs in tandem with the University's decision to
coeducate in the fall of 1985. Rankin was responsible for
recruiting the University's first female athletes and helped shape
W&L's women's sports program into what it is today -- 11
varsity sports that include nearly 200 participants. W&L's
women's sports programs won better than 75 percent of their games
in 2006-07 and have claimed 66 conference championships over the
past 22 years.

"Losing an educator and administrator of Cinda's caliber is a
significant loss for our department, our university, and our
profession," stated Hathorn. "Women's athletics at Washington and
Lee saw immediate positive results because of Cinda's dedication,
enthusiasm and energy. As a result, W&L enjoys a national
reputation of quality, competitiveness and respect due, in large
part, to Cinda's passion for the welfare of the student-athlete,
her belief in doing things right, and her unqualified passion for
the educational process. From day one, Cinda set the standard high
and we owe her a great debt of gratitude for all of her hard work
and leadership. You don't replace a person of Cinda's caliber --
you just hope to find someone who can carry on the legacy of
quality that she instituted here. Cinda will be greatly
missed."

Rankin added responsibilities as women's tennis coach in 1989,
serving as co-head coach along with David McLeod '88, before taking
over the reigns herself in 1990. During her 19 seasons, Rankin led
the program to new heights, posting a 383-57 (.871) record and
winning 17 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships. She was
named the ODAC Coach of the Year 11 times and guided the Generals
to 15 NCAA Tournaments, including 14 in a row from 1994-2007. A
three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III
Coach of the Year honoree, Rankin led W&L to the NCAA
Semifinals each of her final six seasons and her teams played in
the NCAA Championship match five times before winning the school's
second national title (and first by a women's sport) this past
spring.

In addition to team success, Rankin's student-athletes also
achieved a great deal of individual success off the court. She
coached 16 players to a total of 50 All-America citations, with two
players garnering National Player of the Year honors. Two of her
athletes, Erika Proko '03 and Lindsay Hagerman '05 were named
finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year, while Hagerman and Katie
Kingsbury '07 were named finalists for the NCAA Walter Byers
Scholarship. Hagerman finished as the runner-up in 2005, while
Kingsbury won the scholarship this past spring.

Academic success and producing the well-rounded student-athlete
were among Rankin's chief goals as a coach and educator. Her teams
have consistently ranked among the best at W&L in team GPA and
numerous individuals have been selected as ITA Academic
All-Americans over the years. Tennis player Teresa Southard '90
became the school's first female valedictorian, while Patty Roberts
'06 received the Coca-Cola Community All-America award for her work
in the Lexington community. Rankin also encouraged and supported
former tennis player Ingrid Easton '06, who gave up tennis to start
the Campus Kitchen project at W&L.

"Cinda's legacy at Washington and Lee goes well beyond
athletics," stated Washington and Lee President Ken Ruscio. "She is
a true professional who came to the University at a critical time
just as we were making the transition to coeducation. She not only
witnessed the changes over the years; she significantly influenced
the campus in many areas. Generations of students have benefited
from knowing her and working with her."

A 1970 graduate of Humboldt State University, Rankin began her
professional career by directing the physical education program and
serving as the basketball, volleyball, tennis and track coach at El
Cerrito (Calif.) High School for three years. She then moved across
country to nearby Clifton Forge (Va.) High School in 1973, where
she had a highly-successful four-year stint as girl’s
basketball coach and director of physical education. Twice her
teams finished as the state runner-up and she was named the
Virginia Coach of the Year both of those seasons. She accepted a
position as assistant professor of physical education at Dabney
Lancaster Community College in June of 1978 and returned to her
alma mater in 1982 as head women's basketball coach for three
seasons.